Ave major debt due to flooding
return to plant immediately.
Singh yesterday stressed, “Our living is in jeopardy, we don’t know how we will make a living because that is what we depend on.”
Farmers within the area said that they each owe millers, banks, gas stations, and other creditors, with some noting that they presently owe over $5 million.
“Farmers already purchased million dollar in seed paddy, inputs to go to the field but because of the situation in the backdam it is very very disastrous”, Singh pointed out.
Another farmer, Mahendranauth Doolchand, of Number 69 Village, Corentyne said, that he has lost over 35 acres so far. “When we were asking to block all the box them to save our rice, the Water User them na give permission to lock it and when abbay done lose all abbay rice and a duck with black water then they decide to go lock the whole system.”
The man also relayed that machines belonging to some farmers were also stuck in the flooded backlands, “We have five tractor, combine deh inside the field under five feet, four and a half, three feet water and if them go crown that dam pon abbay then them machine can’t come out pon one or two years a back deh because everything go rotten out deh; that one other $30 to $40 million gone to losses.”
The farmers are also pleading with officials to assist them with removing the machines even to the dams “and then abbay can see how to bring out to the road.”
Repay the government
The men yesterday stressed, that presently they are being asked to pay their loans as their machinery and other assets would be repossessed. As such they are pleading with the government to look into clearing their loans after which they can work to repay the government.
Doolchand noted that he alone is several million dollars in debt, “Me na want them come seize me house and land. If them can help abbay pay out them loans this wah abbay take and give abbay one long term let abbay pay them back,” he pleaded.
Furthermore, Doolchand noted that they understand that President Ali is “doing his best” but that they are in need of immediate help. “I think he’s doing the best up to now out of all the president, he really working hard to help the flooding people but we na want nobody come seize nothing from we.”
Another rice farmer, Dave Tulsi, of Number 58 Village, Corentyne, said he usually plants 139 beds but he had already prepared 92 beds with seed paddy when they were hit with the flood. He said, presently there is no drainage in the backlands, while estimating his losses at over $750,000, “expense, preparation, and diesel, everything gone down the drain.”
“The water cover the dam, the boat go over the dam. There use to be access dam and it’s under water about 2 and a half to three feet. I don’t have to pull the boat over the dam, just water now,” he added.
Anand Tulsi, another rice farmer, also explained that they are also facing the hardship of having to pay the rent for the lands they cultivate. He explained that persons leasing land usually have to pay about $9,000 per bed on every crop. However, the owners have stated that they cannot reduce the price unless they are given a reduction in rates from the government. “The people them a ask if them can cut the rates so that them can give in to abbay with the rents”, he noted.
The men are pleading with the government to make the necessary interventions as early as possible so as to assist them, as they all are at their wits end.